Afghan Biographies

Ghazanfar Group


Name Ghazanfar Group
Ethnic backgr.
Date of birth
Function/Grade Ghazanfar Co., Ltd. Bank, Petroleum and Neft Gas
History and Biodata

Owner of Ghazanfar Group:
Muhammad Ismael (20150214)


The Ghazanfar Group is controlled by the Karzai family.

 

The decision by the Council of Ministers to permit Ghazanfar Group to import 500,000 tons of semi-refined oil per year has been met with opposition from the Association of Oil Importers (AOI). AOI claimed that Ghazanfar's refinement operations were never properly investigated by a competent delegation before the Council handed down their decision. AOI members continued onslaughts against Ghazanfar and the importing of semi-refined oil, called "premagon," which is suggested to be dangerous for human health and the environment. In August 2013, the AOI and other oil market stakeholders launched accusations against Ghazanfar claiming they were adulterating their imported semi-crude oil by treating it with stabilizers, all under the pretext of refinement, which then allowed the company to charge prices that undercut the market. They claimed Ghazanfar lacked the capability to refine the semi-crude oil, so a government delegation was eventually sent to the company's northern refinery. However, nothing has since come of the investigation.(20131218)

 

The Head of the National Economic Committee of the Lower House accused the Ghazanfar Group of theft and treason for importing banned oil products. It comes as more than 100 oil company representatives complained to the committee about Ghazanfar's tactics. President Karzai ordered the Second Vice President, Mohammad Karim Khalili, to assess the problems between fuel import companies and the Ghazanfar Group. (20130826)
 

The Attorney General Office (AGO) appointed a delegation to investigate allegations against the Ghazanfar Group, a company that imports oil. Ghazanfar Group has imported 4060 tons of banned oil products in the past seven months, according to statistics provided by the customs bureau in Hairatan.(20130827)

 

Dubai energy company Dragon Oil said 20131008 it signed a production sharing contract with the Afghan government for two reserve areas in the country. Dragon said 20131008  it would serve as the operator of the Sanduqli block. Its partners at The Turkish Petroleum Corp. will operate the Mazar-i-Sharif area. Both measures were secured through an exploration and production sharing contract signed with the Afghan Ministry of Mines and Petroleum. Both reserve areas are near the northern Afghan border with Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.The contract has been initialled and submitted for final approval of the authorities. The participating interest of Dragon Oil, Turkiye Petrolleri A.O. (TPAO) and the Ghazanfar Group in the two blocks is 40%, 40% and 20% respectively. Dragon Oil shall be the operator of the Sanduqli block while the Mazar-i-Sharif block would be operated by TPAO.(20131008)
In the wake of controversial allegations of corruption in Ministry of Defense (MoD) fuel contracting, and President Ashraf Ghani's subsequent decision to void all of the ministry's existing contracts, Muhammad Ismael, the owner of Ghazanfar Group, one of the four fuel companies used by the MoD, has said he has been asked to reactivate the contract for the next month.(20150214)

 

Background:
Ghazanfar Group which is controlling as a holding company a number of companies, among these is Ghazanfar Neft Gas Limited, the biggest Afghan importer of fuel and gas from Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. In addition the group of companies is importer of wheat and flour as well as other bulk food stuffs from the middle Asian countries. The actual annual import volume of the group of companies is over half a billion USD. The group is engaged in trading and distribution of these commodities to various provinces of Afghanistan. Afghan political analysts observe that Ghazanfar and Zahid Walid are striking examples of the multimillion-dollar business conglomerates, financed by American as well as Afghan tax dollars and connected to powerful political figures, that have, since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, emerged as part of a pervasive culture of corruption here. Nasrullah Stanikzai, a professor of law and political science at Kabul University, says of the companies in the pocket of the vice-president: "Everybody knows who is Ghazanfar. Everybody knows who is Zahid Walid. The [government elite, Karzai and Fahim] directly or indirectly have companies, licenses, and sign contracts. But corruption is not confined just to the Afghans. The international community bears a share of this blame."

Ghazanfar Group of Companies:
1. Company Name: GHAZANFAR CO.,LTD Add: Shahzadah Market 2nd Floor, AFGHANISTAN Email: gazanfar@online.tm Country: AFGHANISTAN Tel: +993-422-64252 Fax: +993-422-64745 URL: www.ghazanfar.com

2. Ghazanfar Bank -Afghanistan Industry Type: Oil and Gas/ Power/Infrastructure/Energy Type of Bank: Full - Fledged Commercial Bank Docket No: 13702 License Date: 1 March 2009 Name: Jyoti Maitra Position: C.E.O Mobile: +93(0)797860000 Contact:-- 0797860000 Phone Banking: Mob: -- Fax: P.O.Box : -- Telex: -- Write to us at: jmaitra@sify.com Web Site: -- SWIFT Address: 866, Shar Pur Main Road Kabul Afghanistan Ravinder Singh Yadav, was Chief Operations Officer 20090500. Ahmed Siar Khoreishi, chief executive of Ghazanfar Bank (20160203)

3. “ Ghazanfar Neft Gas Co Ltd “ State Commodities and Raw Materials Exchange of Turkmenistan registered in Ashgabat-ref. 0098 President Mohammad Abdul Ghafar, 23-24 Shahzada Market, Mazar-i-Sharif The largest importer of CIS origin Petroleumand  Gas products in Afghanistan, providing energy that helps underpin this growing economy and improve living standards of Afghanistan. Company has involved with stock exchanges of the CIS countries and annually imports a significant ton of various fuels in to Afghanistan domestic segments such as: National Airlines and Private Jets, Petrol stations.

Construction aspects: Ghazanfar organization jointly willing to invest collapsible storage facilities for security reasons and flexibility, of petroleum products in the provinces of Afghanistan.

Last Modified 2016-02-03
Established 2009-11-21